APM highlights Research Contributions at BAM 2024 Conference

The Association for Project Management (APM) showcased its significant contributions to academic research and the opportunities it offers for researchers at a sponsored reception held in conjunction with the British Academy of Management (BAM) 2024 conference. BAM, a leading authority on management in the UK, hosted the conference in Nottingham with the theme of achieving transformation for greater good. The APM reception brought together project professionals from various sectors to discuss this theme and explore opportunities within the field. Professor Adam Boddison OBE, CEO of APM, attended the reception, giving a speech which outlined APM’s commitment to research, highlighting how important it is for APM’s goal of advancing project and programme management science, theory, and practice for the public benefit. He also highlighted the success of current research Projecting the Future with Manchester Business School and Digital Transformation in Project Management from Southampton University, as well as the past research report Fairness and Unfairness in Projects by Dr Christine Unterhitzenberger.   Gabriela Ramirez-Rivas, Research and Impact Advisor for APM, said: “Research is vital to what we do here at APM. This year, we successfully increased the available funding for research grants. We managed to double the amount for the lower-tier…

Manchester United, Trafford Council, and GMCA Partner to Drive Regeneration

Manchester United, Trafford Council, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) have formed a strategic partnership to maximise the growth and regeneration potential of the Trafford Wharfside area. The partnership will establish an advisory team, led by an independent director, to develop a comprehensive vision for the area surrounding Old Trafford. The focus will be on how a world-class stadium can catalyze wider regeneration, bringing social and economic benefits to Trafford and the surrounding region. The advisory team will work closely with the existing Trafford Wharfside masterplanning process and the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, a group of local leaders and national experts exploring options for a new or redeveloped stadium. Technical and project management support will be provided by the advisory team to Trafford Council, GMCA, and Manchester United as planning intensifies. The team will also play a crucial role in informing the final recommendations of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force. Lord Coe, Chair of the Task Force, said: “The objective of this once-in-a-generation project is not only the development of a world-class stadium for the north of England, but also to ensure that this brings broad social and economic benefits to the local area and surrounding region….

Planera Secures $13.5 Million to Revolutionize Construction Scheduling and Planning

Planera, a leading provider of construction CPM scheduling and planning solutions, today announced that it has raised $13.5 million in a Series A funding round led by Sierra Ventures, with participation from Sorenson Capital, Brick and Mortar Ventures, Prudence VC, and Firebolt Ventures. The funding will fuel Planera’s growth and accelerate the development of its innovative tools, addressing the evolving needs of general contractors (GCs), specialty subcontractors, and the broader construction industry.   Traditional construction project management software has fallen short in meeting the demands of today’s industry, lacking essential features like cloud-based capabilities, collaborative functionality, and visual planning tools. Planera is poised to disrupt the market by offering a modern, comprehensive solution tailored to the specific needs of construction professionals. “This funding milestone brings us closer to our vision of empowering teams with the technology they need to plan, schedule, and collaborate more effectively to deliver optimal outcomes for complex construction projects,” said Nitin Bhandari, CEO and co-founder of Planera. “We’re seeing strong demand for long term as well as weekly planning tools, and we are heavily investing in more advanced features like quality checks, performance analytics and construction-specific AI to better anticipate and manage unexpected project challenges. This…

Adobe Announces Workfront Planning to Streamline Marketing Campaign Execution

Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) has announced the general availability of Adobe Workfront Planning, a new offering designed to help marketers streamline their campaign execution processes. As part of Adobe Workfront, an industry-leading enterprise work management application, Workfront Planning connects fragmented workflows and data across marketing teams, providing actionable insights to drive faster and more efficient campaigns. In today’s fast-paced marketing landscape, marketers are under increasing pressure to deliver personalized customer experiences while maintaining resource efficiency. Workfront Planning addresses this challenge by creating a “marketing system of record,” providing a centralized platform for defining and managing marketing work. This enables marketers to quickly answer questions about their campaigns, gain visibility into day-to-day operations, and streamline the planning and launch process. Key features of Workfront Planning include: “The daily work of the modern marketer has become increasingly complex, as different teams charge forward on individual campaigns without much visibility into the efforts of their colleagues,” said Amit Ahuja, senior vice president, Digital Experience Business at Adobe. “The net result is fragmented marketing operations where too much time is spent trying to align programs and stakeholders, a problem Workfront Planning solves by providing a centralized solution to plan campaigns, deliver marketing briefs and orchestrate work…

APM responds to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase 2 report

In response to the publication of the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Gill Hancock, Head of Technical Content at the Association for Project Management (APM), said: “Today’s publication of the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry is a long-awaited milestone in the response to the tragic loss of 72 lives in June 2017. APM would like to extend our sympathy to all the families impacted by this tragedy. “As the chartered membership organisation for the project profession, APM is shocked by the report’s findings and the many examples of bad project management practice applied at Grenfell that contributed to the tragedy. These include: “The competence framework for managing projects in the built environment, which APM helped to create, is a good step on the journey to ensuring a tragedy like Grenfell never happens again. However, we acknowledge it is only one step. Businesses operating in the built environment sector must recognise the importance of appointing dedicated project experts. Not only that, but they must ensure these people are competent and have the right level of qualifications and training in place. “Many are doing so already. APM’s goal now is to work with the public and private sector…

From Consultant to Guru: Mike Clayton on the Evolution of Project Management”

Interview by Nicola Benjamin PMG Dr Mike Clayton is a name synonymous with project management in the UK. A pioneer of the project and programme management long before its explosion as an industry in the early 2000s, his career spans traditional project delivery, consultancy, training, mentoring and coaching.  With over 100,000 social media followers eager to soak up his wisdom, via his popular YouTube Channel and regular virtual webinars, Mike’s influence in the field is undeniable.  But what drives him? What has shaped his journey from a novice consultant finding his feet within the ‘Big Four’ to a revered thought leader? And how has he so successfully re-invented his career multiple times, to capitalize on the waves opportunity presented by the project industry?  I recently had the chance to sit down with Mike, and the conversation was as enlightening as it was engaging. Our previous encounter was at a bustling Project Management conference. Mike was effortlessly balancing engaging with his enthusiastic fan-base, whilst discussing the latest trends in AI with me. Despite the constant requests for selfies, he remained unflustered, managing to flash a smile for the camera without missing a beat in our conversation.  I was clear that I…

New Digital Technology project boosts connectivity at Mass Events

A groundbreaking digital project has successfully trialled innovative technologies designed to enhance digital connectivity at large-scale events, such as concerts and sporting events. The Liverpool LCR HDD project deployed its new Open RAN HDD private network at the Salt & Tar Music Festival, showcasing its potential to improve the overall experience for attendees. The project, a collaboration between the University of Liverpool and the Combined Authority, utilized Open RAN technology to create a private network capable of delivering high-capacity, open Wi-Fi services. This cutting-edge architecture offers a cost-effective, energy-efficient, and unobtrusive solution for meeting the demands of high-density areas. The Salt & Tar Music Festival provided a real-world testing ground for the Liverpool LCR HDD project, allowing researchers to evaluate the technology’s ability to support e-ticketing, drink and food sales, and other essential services in a secure and efficient manner. The trial demonstrated the network’s capacity to handle large crowds and deliver a seamless user experience. As part of the project, further trials will be conducted across the region at various music, transport, and sports venues to assess the HDD network’s performance in different settings. The aim is to identify the optimal applications for this innovative technology and explore its…

APM Launches New Project Management Qualification

The Association for Project Management (APM) has announced the launch of its new Project Management Qualification. This updated qualification is designed to support project professionals at all levels and offers a range of benefits. The new qualification features a revised exam format with a mix of question types to assess candidates’ knowledge and understanding. It is aligned with the latest industry standards and provides a comprehensive overview of project management principles and practices. Commenting on the launch, Jackie Martin, APM’s Director of Education and Life-Long Learning, said: “Our new Project Management Qualification is the result of listening to the profession and experts and bringing what we heard together to create a great new qualification. “We’ve built it from the ground up, keeping what people loved – like the broad syllabus coverage – and making changes where they helped bring new levels of accessibility or a better experience. This includes our new exam format that’s designed to test candidate’s knowledge in a variety of ways. “Thank you to everyone who supported the development of our qualification, including the 300 people who sat our largest ever pilot exam last year.” Key features of the new qualification: APM’s Accredited Training Providers offer training…

AI Project Aims to Empower Households for Net Zero Transition

A groundbreaking two-year project, “AI: Justice, Energy, Demand flexibility and AI for Sustainability” (JED-AI), is set to investigate how households can make informed energy-related decisions to contribute to the drive towards Net Zero. The project will explore the factors that influence household participation in energy demand flexibility services (DFS), such as shifting energy-intensive activities to times when renewable generation is high and tariffs are low. DFS helps balance demand and supply in the electricity network, promoting green energy use and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs), including solar panels, electric vehicles, heat pumps, smart energy-efficient appliances, and AI-driven energy management solutions, are crucial for achieving Net Zero. However, their adoption has been hindered by challenges in integrating them into daily household routines and ensuring effective use.   JED-AI will integrate AI and social science analyses to develop just and sustainable interventions for energy demand flexibility. Researchers will monitor and evaluate both interdisciplinary processes and energy, justice, and sustainability outcomes, aiming to generate new insights into AI for the transition to Net Zero. Co-led by Professors Vladimir Stankovic and Lina Stankovic from the University of Strathclyde’s Electronic & Electrical Engineering department, the project is one of 36 breakthrough…

Teams celebrate becoming APM Project Management Challenge finalists

Teams from Association for Project Management (APM) Regional Networks have been celebrating the news of their nomination in the APM Project Management Challenge. Team Synergy from Babcock and Devonport Plymouth (South Wales and West of England Regional Network) and PM Dream Team from Mott MacDonald (Thames Valley Regional Network) have been reacting to their selection for the award. The APM Project Management Challenge is an annual competition which has been running for over a decade, where teams from each of the APM Regional Networks have the opportunity to conceptualise, plan, and deliver a project, from start to finish. This year, the APM Project Management Challenge will be featured as a category at the APM Project Management Awards, taking place on 18 November at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London. The teams that were shortlisted at a regional level alongside PM Dream Team and Team Synergy were Nexus from Nexus Rail (North East), North Coast Net Zero from Nuclear Restoration Services (Scotland), Team of Tomorrow from BAE Systems (Wessex), and Summit from Jacobs (Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire). While these six teams won at a regional level, only two were selected to be finalists for the Project Management Challenge. PM Dream Team…